Aim: To assess parents' ability to express their concerns and hopes for the future in their children with disability and assess their children's disability as well as to analyse these data for consistency.

Method: Parents of 162 children with spina bifida, spinal muscular atrophy, muscular disorders, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, hearing impairment, mental disability, or disability following brain tumours were asked to freely express their concerns and hopes for the future and to assess disability in their own children by employing a set of 26 International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY) body function (b) codes and activity and participation (d) codes. A grounded theory approach was employed to systematize parents' expressions of concerns and hopes; then, parents scored qualifiers on a 5-step qualitative Likert scale. Read More

Objectives: Broad-spectrum antibiotics are frequently prescribed for children with upper respiratory tract infections (URI). Excessive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics leads to the emergence of resistant bacteria. This study aimed to identify factors associated with prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics among children younger than 18 years presenting with URI in outpatient settings. Read More

Authors:

College of Education, Health and Human Services, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.

Efforts to decrease the risk of overweight and obesity should focus on children's physical activity (PA) and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. Within school-based interventions, there is insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of the use of character modeling and goal setting to determine changes in step counts, MVPA, and FV consumption. Study participants were 187 students in grades 4 and 5 from 2 Title 1 elementary schools in the Southwest United States. Read More

Little is known about services provided to children and youth (C/Y) discharged from an acute care facility. Recent research has provided a foundation for efforts to supplement or complement that early work. This research investigates post-acute care (PAC) in Texas. Read More

Methods: The methods used in this study are as follows: in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) in southern Bangladesh, thematic analysis of transcripts, and sample size by data saturation. Read More

Authors:

Background: Breastfeeding supplies all the nutrients that infants need for their healthy development. Breastfeeding practice is multifactorial, and numerous variables influence mothers' decisions and ability to breastfeed. This review identifies the factors potentially affecting the timely initiation of breastfeeding within an hour after birth and exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months in Middle Eastern countries. Read More

Hypoglycemia is the most common metabolic disorder encountered in neonates. The definition of hypoglycemia as well as its clinical significance and management remain controversial. Most cases of neonatal hypoglycemia are transient, respond readily to treatment, and are associated with an excellent prognosis. Read More

Department of Paediatrics, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria.

Fatalities from perinatal asphyxia remain high in developing countries, and continually assessing its risk factors will help improve outcomes in these settings. We explored how some identified risk factors predict mortality in asphyxiated newborns, to assist clinicians in prioritizing interventions. This was a 4-year prospective study conducted at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Read More

To date, only few studies have assessed oral immunotherapy (OIT) for wheat allergy and often describe severe adverse reactions during therapy. We developed partially hydrolyzed wheat-based cereals (pHC), which were used in a multicenter, open-label, OIT pilot study, in immunoglobulin E-mediated wheat allergy children (NCT01332084). The primary objective of the study was to test whether wheat allergic patients tolerate pHC and primary end point was the presence or not of immediate adverse reactions to pHC during the 1-day initial escalation phase (stepwise increased doses of pHC), with evaluation of the maximum dose tolerated. Read More

Authors:

Department of Neurosurgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.

OBJECTIVE A specific population of young patients with moyamoya disease (MMD) persistently experience physical symptoms not attributable to focal ischemia. These symptoms, highly suggestive of orthostatic intolerance (also termed "orthostatic dysregulation"), were investigated and reported as potential determinants of quality of life in young MMD patients. METHODS Forty-six patients (6-30 years of age) were selected from a group of 122 patients who were diagnosed with MMD before 18 years of age. Read More

Background: Given the rising incidence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) globally, especially bronchial asthma, there is the need to reduce the associated morbidity and mortality by adopting an objective means of diagnosis and monitoring.

Aim: This article aims to review the trends and challenges in the use of spirometry for managing childhood bronchial asthma especially in developing countries.

Methods: We conducted a literature search of published data on the use of spirometry for the diagnosis of childhood bronchial asthma with special emphasis resource-poor countries. Read More

Authors:

Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Research Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, South, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

Aim: To help parents assess disability in their own children using World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Child and Youth Version (ICF-CY) code qualifier scoring and to assess the validity and reliability of the data sets obtained.

Clinic of Neonatology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Neonatal transport is an essential part of regionalization for highly specialized neonatal intensive care. This retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on neonatal transport activity in a large Swiss perinatal network more than 1 year, aimed to quantify this activity, to identify the needs for staff, and the demands regarding know-how and equipment. Of the 565 admissions to the tertiary neonatology clinic, 176 (31. Read More

Authors:

Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Kecioren Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Background And Purpose: Etiologic role, incidence, demographic, and response-to-treatment characteristics of urinary tract infection (UTI) among neonates, its relationship with significant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and abnormalities of the urinary system were studied in a prospective investigation in early (⩽10 days) idiopathic neonatal jaundice in which all other etiologic factors of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were ruled out.

Patients And Methods: Urine samples for microscopic and bacteriologic examination were obtained with bladder catheterization from 155 newborns with early neonatal jaundice. Newborns with a negative urine culture and with a positive urine culture were defined as group I and group II, respectively, and the 2 groups were compared with each other. Read More

Authors:

Background: Breast milk contains all the nutrients infants need for their first 6 months of life. However, only a minority of Saudi Arabian mothers exclusively breastfeed, so the influencing factors must be examined to encourage more to do so. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months and its associated factors in Tabuk, North West Saudi Arabia. Read More

Authors:

Department of Pediatrics, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: The pattern of infant feeding during the first 1000-day period-from conception to the second birthday-has a significant influence on the child's growth trajectory. The relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and lower risk of childhood obesity has elicited much scientific interest, given the fact that this form of malnutrition is becoming a global epidemic.

Aim: This narrative review aims to examine the evidence in the literature linking exclusive breastfeeding with reduction in obesity in children. Read More

The gut microbiota of infants is shaped by both the mode of delivery and the type of feeding. The gut of vaginally and cesarean-delivered infants is colonized at different rates and with different bacterial species, leading to differences in the gut microbial composition, which may persist up to 6 months. In a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial conducted in South Africa, we tested the effect of a formula supplemented with a prebiotic (a mixture of bovine milk-derived oligosaccharides [BMOS] generated from whey permeate and containing galactooligosaccharides and milk oligosaccharides such as 3'- and 6'-sialyllactose) and the probiotic subsp. Read More

This article describes the outcomes of a pediatric weight management program for a population primarily composed of minority ethnic groups and those from a lower socioeconomic status group. As these groups are disproportionally affected by pediatric obesity and overweight complicated by higher rates of attrition and poorer response to intervention, it is important that adequate and effective treatment exists for patients in these groups. Further research is needed to analyze the outcomes and attrition in these high-risk populations. Read More

Recent studies have highlighted the fact that the enteric microbiome, the trillions of microbes that inhabit the human digestive tract, has a significant effect on health and disease. Methods for manipulating the enteric microbiome, particularly through probiotics and microbial ecosystem transplantation, have undergone some study in clinical trials. We review some of the evidence for microbiome alteration in relation to childhood disease and discuss the clinical trials that have examined the manipulation of the microbiome in an effort to prevent or treat childhood disease with a primary focus on probiotics, prebiotics, and/or synbiotics (ie, probiotics + prebiotics). Read More

Background: Preterm infants follow an altered neurodevelopmental trajectory compared to their term born peers as a result of the influence of early birth, and the altered environment. Infant massage in the preterm infant has shown positive effects on weight gain and reduced length of hospital stay. There is however, limited current evidence of improved neurodevelopment or improved attachment, maternal mood or anxiety. Read More

Purpose: To validate serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as an early biomarker for acute kidney injury (AKI) in sepsis-related conditions and its predictive and prognostic values.

Patients And Methods: This study included 65 patients, who were clinically evaluated for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock, and 20 apparently healthy served as controls. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (AKI-sepsis): 65 newly admitted patients diagnosed as sepsis, who were further divided into three subgroups according to the severity: systemic inflammatory response syndrome, severe sepsis, and septic shock, and Group II (control group): 20 apparently healthy subjects matched for age and sex, serum creatinine and serum NGAL concentrations were estimated initially within 24 hours of admission and after 72 hours of admission in all patients and control groups. Read More

Authors:

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), a condition that occurs due to various reasons, is an important cause of fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. It has been defined as a rate of fetal growth that is less than normal in light of the growth potential of that specific infant. Usually, IUGR and small for gestational age (SGA) are used interchangeably in literature, even though there exist minute differences between them. Read More

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic disorder characterized by acute pulmonary exacerbations that comprise increased cough, chest congestion, increased mucus production, shortness of breath, weight loss, and fatigue. Typically, severe episodes are treated in the inpatient setting and include intravenous antimicrobials, airway clearance therapy, and nutritional support. Children with less-severe findings can often be managed as outpatients with oral antimicrobials and increased airway clearance therapy at home without visiting the specialty CF center to begin treatment. Read More

Authors:

Despite the fact that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise, no effective medical treatments have become standard of care. In this paper we review some of the pathophysiological abnormalities associated with ASD and their potential associated treatments. Overall, there is evidence for some children with ASD being affected by seizure and epilepsy, neurotransmitter dysfunction, sleep disorders, metabolic abnormalities, including abnormalities in folate, cobalamin, tetrahydrobiopterin, carnitine, redox and mitochondrial metabolism, and immune and gastrointestinal disorders. Read More

Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) is a major cause of infant death and morbidity worldwide. An early diagnosis and timely intervention can significantly reduce the likelihood of an adverse outcome. However, studies from the United States and other developed countries have shown that as many as 30%-50% of infants with CCHD are discharged after birth without being identified. Read More

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare but potentially fatal disease that commonly appears in infancy, although it has been reported in adults. Chemoimmunotherapy-based treatments have improved the survival of patients with HLH; however, overall survival is still poor. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 12 HLH patients who were admitted between 2005 and 2014. Read More

Background: In the absence of breast-feeding and its immunomodulatory factors, supplementation of starter infant formula (IF) with probiotics is currently used to support immune functions and gut development.

Aim: To assess whether immune-related beneficial effects of regular dose (10(7) CFU/g of powder) of the probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-3446 (hereafter named B. lactis) in starter IF supplementation can be maintained with starter IF containing a low dose (10(4) CFU/g of powder) of B. Read More

Background: Iron is an essential nutrient for normal growth and neurodevelopment of infants. Iron deficiency (ID) remains the most common micronutrient deficiency worldwide. There are convincing data that ID is associated with negative effects on neurological and psychomotor development. Read More

Authors:

Aim: To study the pattern of various adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occurring in children attending the Department of Pediatrics, SMGS Hospital, Jammu over 1 year.

Subjects And Methods: This was a prospective study, with study population of patients attending Department of Pediatrics over a period of 1 year. A structured format was used to enroll the participants. Read More

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of phenobarbital and phototherapy combination on the total serum bilirubin of the newborn infants with isoimmune hemolytic disease (IHD) and its impact on blood exchange transfusion rates.

Patients And Method: This single-blinded, prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted between March 2013 and December 2014 at the pediatric ward of two Military Hospitals in Jordan. A total of 200 full-term neonates with IHD were divided randomly into two groups: (1) the phenobarbital plus phototherapy group (n = 103), and (2) the phototherapy-only group (n = 97). Read More

Background: The rearrangements of the 22q11.2 chromosomal region, most frequently deletions and duplications, have been known to be responsible for multiple congenital anomaly disorders. These rearrangements are implicated in syndromes that have some phenotypic resemblances. Read More

Authors:

Background: Selective and nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are indicated for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). However, the effect of NSAIDs on blood pressure (BP) in children has not been rigorously examined.

Authors:

Hemangiomas are the most common primary hepatic tumors, but there are few reports of their occurrence elsewhere in the abdomen. The concurrent existence of multiple fibrous nodules of the omentum, mesentery, and porta hepatis, along with a gastric hemangioma, in a child raises the question of syndromic association. Our search of the English literature revealed only rare mentions of hemangiomas involving the stomach and mesentery or omentum. Read More

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the safety of a new reduced protein (2.1 g/100 kcal) infant formula containing 4 g/L of 90% galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and 10% fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS).

Authors:

Extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW) are born at a time when the fetus is undergoing rapid intrauterine brain and body growth. Continuation of this growth in the first several weeks postnatally during the time these infants are on ventilator support and receiving critical care is often a challenge. These infants are usually highly stressed and at risk for catabolism. Read More

Introduction: Cyclopia (alobar holoprosencephaly) (OMIM% 236100) is a rare and lethal complex human malformation, resulting from incomplete cleavage of prosencephalon into right and left hemispheres occurring between the 18th and the 28th day of gestation. Holoprosencephaly occurs in 1/16,000 live births, and 1/250 during embryogenesis. Approximately 1. Read More

Authors:

Objective: This study was performed to determine the occurrence of hypoxic hepatitis in full-term neonates after perinatal asphyxia and to correlate between the rise in enzymes and severity of asphyxia with Apgar score and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) grading of the neonates.

Method And Material: This prospective case-controlled study was conducted in a tertiary-level hospital in India for a period of 12 months. The study group A comprised 70 newborns suffering from birth asphyxia, while 30 healthy neonates were included in group B (control). Read More

Neonatal hydrometrocolpos (HMC) is a rare Mullerian duct anomaly with an incidence of 0.006%. It occurs due to blockage of the vagina with accumulation of mucus secretions proximal to the obstacle. Read More

Authors:

Background: Despite tremendous importance of early cancer diagnosis in children, few studies on this topic have been conducted in Egypt. Early stage diagnosis can have a positive effect on prognoses and the quality of life of children with cancer. We investigated delays in the diagnosis of childhood cancers in Egypt and determined the factors associated with these delays. Read More

Authors:

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are a common cause of childhood febrile illness with 7% of girls and 2% of boys having a symptomatic culture positive UTI by the age of six years. Although there are conflicting views on the long term sequelae of UTI, as well as the place of prophylaxis, the universal aims of treatment of childhood UTI remain those of symptom alleviation, prevention of systemic infection and short and longer term complications. There is good evidence of historical and emerging resistance patterns, therefore rationalisation of prescription patterns by knowledge of sensitivities coupled with re-examination of empirical antibiotic choices is clearly important. Read More